Kemp,
Eustace split district contestsBy Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACEVisiting Kemp and Eustace split a pair of key first-round District 14-3A
basketball contests Friday night, as the Kemp girls remained unbeaten with a dominating
51-19 win and the Eustace boys opened loop play with a 51-43 victory.
Eustaces boys improved to 1-0 in district play, while the girls dropped to 0-3. Both
teams were scheduled to visit Wills Point Tuesday before hosting Vans boys and girls
Friday, Jan. 22.
Next Tuesday, Jan. 26, the Eustace girls and boys travel to Mineola, and will host
Cantons girls and boys Friday, Jan. 29. Each evening opens with 4:30 p.m.
sub-varsity contests.
Kemps girls improved to 18-7 on the season and 3-0 in district play, while the boys
dropped to 0-1. The Kemp girls and boys were scheduled to host Mineola Tuesday night,
before visiting Canton Friday, Jan. 22.
Next Tuesday, Jan. 26, the Kemp girls and boys will visit Van, and then will stay on the
road against Wills Point Friday, Jan. 29. Each evening opens with 4:30 p.m. sub-varsity
contests.
On the girls side, the Kemp-Canton matchup looks to have serious playoff
implications, as both the Lady Yellowjackets and the Eaglettes are 3-0 after wins Friday
night.
Canton defeated Mineola 58-32 Friday, dropping Mineola to 2-1 in district play. Elsewhere,
the Wills Point girls improved to 1-2 and dropped Van to 0-3 with a 57-42 victory.
On the boys side, Van knocked off Wills Point, 46-45, in Friday nights
district opener, while Canton stopped Mineola 48-41.
In Eustaces E.L. Kirk Gym, the much quicker Kemp Lady Yellowjackets held the Lady
Bulldogs to just two baskets in the first half  one in the first quarter by Vanessa
Lopez and one in the second quarter by Allie Cass.
Kemps offense also started slow, but picked up in the second quarter, when the Lady
Jackets outscored the Lady Bulldogs 14-6 to take a 23-8 halftime lead.
As usual, junior Michelle Ritterbach continued to perform at an MVP level, scoring six of
Kemps nine first-quarter points, including a 3-point basket.
The Lady Jackets outscored the Lady Bulldogs 15-7 in the third quarter to take a
38-15 lead into the fourth quarter, and then outscored Eustace 13-4 in the final frame to
forge the final 32-point margin.
Ritterbach ended up outscoring the Lady Bulldogs all by herself, finishing with 20 points
(including four treys), six rebounds, four steals and three assists. She missed a fifth
trey because her foot was on the sideline.
The Lady Jackets finished with eight 3-point baskets, as Brianna Powell (2), Amanda
Lawrence and Brittany Simmons all hit from outside.
Powell, a sophomore in her first season of varsity play, continued to gain confidence,
finishing with 10 points on two threes and hitting 2-of-2 at the free throw line.
Senior Shelbie Wright, who started at post with the absence of junior Shannon Shipp (who
was at a state Beta Club conference in San Antonio) scored six points and pulled down nine
rebounds.
Brittany Simmons finished with five points, six rebounds and four assists, while Lawrence
finished with six points.
Cass finished with 11 points, Lopez finished with three, Megan Renteria and Jenny
McConathy both finished with two points and Harmony Allen chipped in a free throw.
We didnt do a good job offensively, Eustace coach DaLinda Cassell said
later. We never ran through our offense and made the defense work.
We took open shots and had shots in the paint  they just didnt fall for
us, Cassell added. Kemp played a great game defensively and offensively. Allie
has played consistently for us during district, and we want to get her the ball
more.
Overall, it was a good game, with the girls playing four complete quarters,
Kemp coach Kent Smith said.
We had backed off in the third quarter during the previous two games, but this game,
they didnt let up in their intensity, especially on defense, Smith added.
As the boys game got underway, Kemps Yellowjackets took an early lead, 11-8, but the
hosting Bulldogs turned the tables in the second quarter, outscoring Kemp 11-8 to forge a
19-19 halftime tie.
Each team pressured the ball in transition, as both tried to push the ball upcourt before
settling into a half-court setup.
The Bulldogs took control of the contest in the third quarter, putting together a 17-8 run
to take a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter, 36-27.
In the final frame, the Jackets managed to cut into the Kemp lead by just a point,
16-15.
Eustaces Braden Strickland led all scorers with 19 points, as Addison Scott added
11, Guy Hargrove scored seven, Trevan Johnson, Jacob McCarter and Tyson Oliver all scored
four points each and Marcus Emmons added two points.
Zach Allison and Ryan Emfinger led the Jackets with 11 points each, with Jeff
Goldman adding seven, Jake Goldman five, Jeremy Quick and Brandon Stewart scoring four
points each and Cody Dunagan chipping in a free throw.

Forney edges Mabank, 59-54Monitor Staff Reports
MABANKThe visiting Forney Jackrabbits outscored the hosting Mabank Panthers in the
fourth quarter to take a narrow 59-54 win Friday night.
Now 0-4 in District 15-4A basketball play, the Panthers were scheduled to visit
second-ranked Lancaster Tuesday night, and wind up the first round of district play at
home Friday, Jan. 22, against West Mesquite.
The Panthers have an open date Tuesday, Jan. 26, and will open the second round of
district play at home Friday, Jan. 29, against Terrell. Each evening opens with 6 p.m.
sub-varsity contests.
Both Forney (3-1) and Mabank came into Fridays contest looking for their first
district win, and the score remained extremely close throughout the contest.
Forney opened an 18-16 lead in the first quarter, but the Panthers came back in the second
quarter behind 3-point baskets from Jacob Woodard and Jordan Allen, along with six points
from Tyler Fisher, and opened a three-point halftime lead, 35-32.
The Jackrabbits put together a good third quarter to take a one-point lead, 46-45, into
the fourth period.
In the final frame, the Rabbits outscored Mabank 13-9 to forge the final five-point
margin.
Fisher led the Panthers with 20 points, with Allen finishing with nine, Griffin Marshall
and Woodard seven points each, Tray Phillips six points, James Burkhalter two and
Unterrious Toliver chipped in a free throw.